Arizona bill would ban all union work on city dime

PHOENIX — An Arizona Senate committee has approved a bill that would ban
cities and towns from paying employees for doing union work.

The Senate Committee on Government and Environment approved an amendment to
House Bill 2418 that strikes the entire bill and replaces it with language
banning paying for union duties on Monday.

The bill is in response to a legal battle between the Goldwater Institute and
the city of Phoenix.

Phoenix agreed to stop employees for time spent performing union work after a
Maricopa County Superior Court judge in January ruled “release time” violates
the Arizona Constitution and that it doesn’t benefit the public. But the battle
continues after the Phoenix City Council voted to extend employee vacation
hours. Goldwater says that is a way to skirt the ruling.